Prosecutors in the Young Dolph murder trial claimed on Monday that Big Jook, the older brother of Yo Gotti, placed a $100,000 bounty on Young Dolph prior to his murder in 2021. This allegation was presented by Shelby County Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman during the trial’s opening statements. However, the jury will not hear direct testimony from Big Jook, whose real name is Anthony Mims, as he was fatally shot in January.
As the Young Dolph trial commenced over nine months after the shooting, the Memphis Police Department reported that there have been no charges filed in the investigation of Big Jook’s death. An MPD statement on social media following the January incident noted that an officer in the vicinity of 6385 Winchester Road heard multiple gunshots around 4:15 p.m. The officer responded to the scene and found two individuals suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, both of whom were transported to the hospital.
Big Jook, who was 47 at the time of his death, was identified as one of the victims and was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at the hospital.
Hagerman indicated that Big Jook held a significant position at Yo Gotti’s record label, Collective Music Group, and noted a longstanding feud between CMG and Young Dolph’s label, Paper Route Empire. Young Dolph was murdered on November 17, 2021, inside Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies on Airways Boulevard. Four individuals—Justin Johnson, Cornelius Smith, Hernandez Govan, and Jermarcus Johnson—have been indicted in connection with the shooting.
Justin Johnson was the first defendant to stand trial. Jermarcus Johnson, who is his half-brother, pleaded guilty in June 2023 and is expected to testify, while Smith provided testimony for the prosecution during the trial’s opening day.